THE FOUR PILLARS OF PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

Successful policy influence hinges on four critical pillars, namely, the quality of strategy, the extent and functionality of networks, the level of political and legal sophistication, and the ability to leverage knowledge and information and communications technology (ICT)

1. The quality of strategic planning has a direct bearing on the success of public policy advocacy: Poor quality policy input often stems from a lack of a clear and coherent strategy. You won't be able to achieve desired outcome without adequate strategic planning.

2. Forming connections between/among organisations has no intrinsic value unless extra effort is made to develop functional and targeted networks: Networks give rise to unique dynamics that need to be managed effectively. You won't be able to achieve your influence objectives if your networks fail you. You've got to leverage networks for policy influence and advance your goals by making networks functional as opposed to merely sustaining them.

3. Successful policy advocacy often depends directly on a willingness to 'play politics': Effective input often thrives on your ability to navigate your political environment and 'play politics' where necessary.

4. Successful advocacy increasingly depends on harnessing technology: In addition to the judicious use of traditional forms of gathering evidence, to inform policy, the use of ICT has become increasingly important.

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